It's been a bad month for Virgins in Chicago. First, Virgin Megastore closes and then Randolph Street's mid-priced Italian spot, Extra Virgin and its late-night ancillary, Virgin Lounge both closed on July 15. Restaurants America, the corporate parent, which also owns about a bazillion Bar Louies, plans to open just what the city needs -- Bar Louie No. Bazillion and One. And if that sounds a little like Déjà vu, you're right. Before converting it to Extra Virgin in 2005 it was Bluepoint Oyster Bar and a Bar Louie.

What do you think: Does Chicago need another Bar Louie?

Acclaimed chef Takashi Yagihashi, of Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi  in the State Street Macy’s (he also clocked kitchen time at the now-shuttered Ambria, plus he’s a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest award winner), has been scouting property for a new restaurant for about a year, and it he finally found it -- in Bucktown. Although negotiations are still in progress, it looks like Yagihashi will open Takashi Restaurant this November at 1952 N. Damen Avenue, in the Scylla address. We were kinda surprised when we heard the news; chef-owner Stephanie Izard has been raking in kudos from the local and national media since she opened Scylla in early 2005. Izard tells us that biz has been better than ever lately -- she’s closing the restaurant so she can fit more travel time into her schedule, and she’s considering relocating to Seattle. (If all goes well, Yagihashi will take over the space September 1; Scylla will close mid-August.) The new restaurant will feature contemporary French-American fare with Japanese influences --think organic chicken in a clay pot with shimeji mushrooms and Japanese eggplant or roasted NY strip steak with fresh wasabi, goose-fat frites and sweet pea gratin -- with entrees topping out at $25. He’s enlisting designer Francois Geneve (Custom House, Spring and Green Zebra) to create a “contemporary chic” look for the 65-seat space. --Terri Mooney

Before catching Damien Rice’s utterly haunting, sold out show at the Civic Opera House, we stopped into new River North eatery/deli/grocery Sugar and Brown’s, which is about a 15-minute walk north. The spot was spacious and comforting inside and features a funky gadget to help servers deliver items to the right place: After ordering at the counter, we received a plastic card to slide into a port at our table, indicating that we’re expecting order 55 without having to post a card on the table, a la Corner Bakery.

Unfortunately, there was still confusion about our order--our Tuscan chicken panini was initially brought to another table--and Sugar and Brown’s takes a relatively liberal approach to “quick-serve," which means those looking for a bite before the opera might be biting their nails if they're worried about getting to the show on time. The panini and mixed field greens salad took about 20 minutes to come out, though we did receive a sincere apology while we were waiting. Thankfully, both the sandwich and the salad were tasty, despite the somewhat disappointing quantity of goat cheese on the salad. (Of course, for us cheese lovers you can never have enough.) Regardless, it was a smart pick for a pre-opera, under-$20-for-two dinner in the area with a bit more sophistication than, um, The Rock and Roll McDonald’s.

As for Rice, he kept the audience transfixed throughout his hour-and-45-minute performance as he vacillated from heartbreaking ballads to angry, you’ll-never-screw-me-over-again jams. Snow and shadow lighting effects were particularly effective for Rice’s palate of lonely, gorgeous drinking songs, which would have felt all the more timely had we exited the venue into a blizzard, rather than a burst of warmth and humidity.

What did you think of the show? Where do you like to go before a show at the Civic Opera House -- opera or otherwise?

How brilliant is the name of this new restaurant/lounge going in on the lower level of 160 E. Grand Avenue? Thanks to a tip from one of our eagle-eyed readers, we poked our head in and found that the former Riga-Tony's space (awful name by the way) is indeed being gutted to make way for Reagle [sic] Beagle, a moniker inspired by that "Three's Company" fern bar. We hope it will serve all kinds of '70s-inspired cocktails like tequila sunrises and pina coladas. UPDATE: We just found out that this spot is slated to open mid-summer, and will have a fun, upbeat afterwork bar focus. And, yes, a few kitschy cocktails. We can't wait.

It looks like the knives are already sharpening for the new season of "Top Chef." As we reported in New on the Scene, Chef Dale Levitski (who has cooked and consulted everywhere, from Orange to Trio Atelier to La Tache to Stone Lotus) is ready for battle. This is the official bio that Bravo sent to the media:

DALE
AGE: 34
HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill.
PROFESSION: Chef/Consultant
CULINARY EDUCATION: Self-Taught
SIGNATURE DISH/CUISINE: Croque Monsieur
Chicago native Dale has been a chef for six years, with plans underway to open his own restaurant. Whether he’s cooking four-star meals, diving, or doing gymnastics, Dale’s competitive edge is undeniable. He has created something he calls “flavor math,” where the right number of spices can bring the perfect flavor and taste. He uses French American cultural influences in his cooking, and is serious about putting his skills to the ultimate test. He loves the fact that the other contestants could be “out-cooked by a queer.” Dale will say what everyone else is thinking.

You go, grill!

Of course, Levitski won't exactly be breaking any kitchen barriers: The Hearty Boys (a.k.a. Steve McDonough and Dan Smith) already have that distinction--the catering domestic partners, after all, were the first winners of "The Next Food Network Star." And, oh yeah, famed Queer Eye foodie (and Chicago native) Ted Allen ? He'll be a judge on the show.

When we asked Smith about Levitski's comment, Smith said: "I just think it's funny that the queer celebrity chefs are taking over Chicago!"

Speaking of the Hearty Boys, look for HBTV -- think cooking karaoke -- to open mid-summer at 3819 N. Broadway.

Name this Lakeview restaurant: Stark-white interior. Pan-Asian menu. Located on Broadway.

If you said Pingpong you’d be correct.

But if you said Sura, which opened today, just a two blocks south, you'd be equally correct. Despite the uncanny surface similarities, however, Sura’s menu takes pan-Asian in a different, more contemporary direction, while Pingpong stays solidly with cleaned-up, fresh versions of Asian restaurant classics. Additionally, Sura serves lunch and it will offer a late-night, post-dinner lounge once a liquor license comes through. (For now, you can BYOB, but don't get used to it.)

We  popped into Sura for a quick pad Thai lunch today and must say that we loved the interior—so totally space-age retro glam, I felt like I was at that Hilton in "2001: A Space Odyssey". That front bar lounge is outfitted with wacky bubble chairs hanging from the ceiling, white bean bag chairs on the ground, and molded white plastic DJ deck stands.

Even the servers are wired, walking around with those wireless PDA-type thingies you may have seen in busy NYC spots, which beam your order of Thai Tapas (roasted coconut, endive and palm suger reduction, $5) back to the kitchen. Naturally, in true HAL fashion, there was the inevitable first-day tech glitch--my order never made it to the kitchen, causing a bit of delay.

The rest of the menu takes a contemporary pan-Asian approach: gyoza stuffed with housemade apple chutney (part of the lunch appetizer menu—small, delicious and free when ordered with a lunch entree) and macadamia-nut encrusted salmon with pineapple and tropical curry ($14) on the dinner menu.

Still, since we’ve been pitting restaurants against each other all week—Alinea vs. Trotter’s, Kitsch’n on Roscoe vs. Orange on Roscoe—we can’t help wonder if Sura will draw some of the regulars from BYOB-only Pingpong. (Pingpong is no longer just BYOB; offering fun cocktails) Or better question: What will it do to 'hood favorite Bamee Noodle Shop? That place is located right next door. Is Broadway big enough for multiple hip Thai/Asian spots.

Is a battle of the brunch behemoths brewing in Roscoe Village? If you've seen New on the Scene this morning, you may have noticed Orange on Roscoe is taking over the recently closed Brett's in Roscoe Village in May. That location, a few doors west of that other brunch favorite, Kitsch'n on Roscoe, will serve dinner as well as brunch (and should be the first Orange with a liquor license). But we wonder if they're trying to eat the 8-year-old Kitsch'n brunch, so to speak. Both spots, after all, have dishes called Green Eggs and Ham.

The retro-themed Kitsch owner Jon Young isn't sweating it. "I feel really good about our connection to the neighborhood," he says. Plus, "we have the best beer garden in Roscoe Village. The only thing that competes with it is the outdoor space at Volo." Of course, he's a partner in Volo, along with chef Stephen Dunne, so that's not a problem. Besides, the duo is probably more focused on getting The Paramount Room, a planned upscale restaurant and bar near West Town, open by this summer.

So in this battle of the brunches, who wins? Tell us the place you like better: Orange or Kitsch'n

We just posted our First Look at The Gage, the new gastropub in the Loop, directly across from Millennium Park. (Read the full review here.) Take a look at some of the dishes sampled:

	This fancy fondue is part of The Gage snack menu ($4-13),  a collection of nibbles that are great for a light afterwork bite. The N-17 Fondue is made with butterkase (a creamy German country cheese), brie and spinach. Served in a little cassoulet pot, it’s a definite crowd-pleaser. The name N-17 is an homage to a higway in owner Billy Lawless's hometown of County Galway, Ireland.
	We also liked the extra effort the kitchen took with the olive and pickles, ($4) served in a tiny Mason jar with a couple of springs of rosemary, plus an aromatic orange peel--nice touch.
	Sorry so blurry (hey, I’m trying to be discreet with this camera; no flash!), but the mussels ($10) were a bit of of a letdown anyway; the menu described the broth as a Vindaloo sauce, but it lacked that characteristic fire.
	For dessert, we loved the peanut butter mousse ($6) because it was served with peanut-buttery, ersatz Kit Kat wafers.

It's official: As we mentioned here last week: Boystown's small plate spot X/O Chicago is closing Apr. 22. It will relaunch around Mother's Day as Halsted's Bar & Grill. "The research we have done has shows that the majority [of customers] consider us to be a special occasion destination," says owner Mark Liberson. So he's taken things down a notch. Read: More deep fried stuff and way more cheese.

OK, truthfully, the menu still sounds kind of fancy, but in that glammed-up comfort food sort of way. Get this: there are 18 -- count 'em 18 -- appetizers planned. They include beer-battered onion rings, grilled polenta with melted leeks, and shitake mushrooms topped with melted bleu cheese, baked feta with roasted red peppers and olives; three types of seasoned French fries, and baked mac and cheese made with aged cheddar. The menu also lists six salads, 17 kinds of sandwiches (served with Tater Tots, veggies or slaw), pastas, and entrees (the pan-seared meatloaf with parsnip mashed potatoes sounds like a must-try.)

Another innovation: Liberson's touting "Halsted Street's first ever video jukebox system." (We're not entirely sure what that is, but we assume he's not counting the ones down the street at The Ram.)

Look for more details on this spot soon.

The folks behind one of our all-time favorite sushi spots, Rise, debuts a new contemporary Asian and sushi spot tonight. It's called Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant and Lounge. Sound familiar? Maybe it's because a nightclub called Republic (from scenemaker Marc Bortz) opened a few months ago near the Weed Street club district. The two spots are not related to each other we were assured from the woman who answered the phone at Republic (uh, the sushi one). Will confusion ensure anyhow? We pity the poor, poor bummed-out clubgoers who will inevitably stumble from their cabs at 58 E. Ontario St. at 2 a.m. only to discover a closed sushi bar. And just think of those misguided sushi seekers arriving at 1520 N. Fremont St. to find velvet ropes instead of maki rolls! Oh, the humanity!

To give you a leg up, this video will give you a peek at Republic (uh, the Bortz one).